Wrench



1,520,653 H. O. JOHNSON -WRENCH Filed Feb. 25, 1922 III/II IIIII/I/I[46W INVENTOR X NW 0.)Z1MM I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 223, N24.

UNITED STATES HENRY O. JOHNSON, OF VIRGINIA, MINNESOTA.

WRENCH.

Application filed February 25, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Virginia, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of whichI do declare the following to be a specification.

My invention relates to wrenches, and has for its object an improvedwrench of the type adapted to open at the end instead of at the side. Itcomprises the. structures, combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a central vertical section of my invention.Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same, partly in section on the lineAB of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the hereinafter describedmovable jaw forming part of my said invention, and Fig. 4, is afragmentary side elevation of my said invention showing the head of saidwrench.

In the drawings, 1 is a handle, upon one end of which is formed astationary jaw 1 Said handle is transversely apertured below saidstationary jaw, as at 1, for the passage of the shank 2 of an adjustablejaw 2. One of the walls of said aperture has teeth 1 formed thereon andthe wall of said shank opposed thereto has teeth 2' formed thereonadapted in operation to engage said teeth 1. Formed in said toothed wallof said aperture is a recess or groove 1 and formed in the toothed wallof said shank is a recess or groove 2 adapted to register with saidgroove 1 Said grooves are adapted to cooperate to receive a spring 3interposed between said toothed walls, which spring is adapted inoperation to press said shank out of engagement with the teeth opposedthereto.

Extending into said aperture below said shaft is a cam 4, provided withan operating lever 4, which lever is adapted in operation to lie in agroove 1 extending longitudinally of said handle at an angle to theshank of said adjustable jaw; said cam lever being preferably adapted tobe gripped and held in operative position by the same grip which holdssaid handle during the operation of said wrench. The free end of theshank of said adjustable jaw is provided with a shoulder or stop 2 toprevent the escape of said shank from said aperture.

The clamping faces of said jaws are ape Serial No. 539,202.

proximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of said handle and saidadjustable jaw moves transversely of said longitudinal axis.

In operation, said cam lever is swung outwardly to retract said cam.Said spring thereupon forces the toothed face of said shank out ofengagement with the opposing teeth. The adjustable jaw is then movedmanually to open or close the wrench to the desired extent. The camlever is then operated to cause said cam to force the teeth on theadjustable jaw into engagement with the opposed teeth, thus locking saidadjustable jaw in operative position.

I am aware that the combination of a handle having a stationary jawformed thereon, with an adjustable aw movable in a plane approximatelyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle and adapted to belocked in operative position by means of a cam and engaging teeth, andto be retracted by an interposed spring, is not broadly new in view ofmy pending application S. N. 458204, and I am further aware that the.combination of a handle having a stationary jaw formed thereon and atransversely adjustable jaw adapted to be adjusted by a worm, is notbroadly new. I do not therefore claim my invention so broadly as toinclude such devices.

What I claim is:

1. In a wrench, the combination of a stationary member comprising anoperating handle and a fixedjaw, said stationary memher beingtransversely apertured, an adjustable jaw provided with a shank adaptedto extend through said transverse aperture and to reciprocate therein,said shank having teeth formed upon one of its faces, said stationarymember having teeth formed there on adapted in operation to engage theteeth on said shank, a cam mounted upon said stationary member andadapted in operation to move said shank into tooth engaging positionwith respect to said stationary member, a spring interposed between thetoothed opposing faces of said shank and said stationary member forforcing said shank out of tooth engaging position with respect to saidstationary member when said cam is retracted, and a lever for operatingand retracting said cam, said lever extending in operative positionapproximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a Wrench comprising a stationarymember embodying a handle portion, and a jaw portion, said stationarymember being transversely apertured, an adjustable aW provided with ashank of less diameter than said aperture and extending through saidaperture and adapted to reciprocate therein, teeth formed on one of thefaces of said shank and upon said stationary member and adapted inoperation to engage each other to prevent movement of saidreciprocablejaw, a cam for forcing said shank into tooth-engaging position Withrespect to said stationary member, said cam being provided With anoperating or retracting lever, and a spring interposed between saidshank and said stationary member for forcing said shank out of toothengaging position when said cam is retracted, the clamping faces of saidjaws being approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of saidhandle.

3. In a Wrench, the combination of a stationary member embodying ahandle portion and a jaw, said stationary member being transverselyapertured an adjustable jaw provided With an integral shank extendingthrough said aperture and adapted to reciprocate therein, teeth integralWith and ex tending from one of the faces of said shank and teethintegral With and extending from said stationary member and adapted inoperation to engage the teeth on said shank to prevent movement of saidreciprocable jaw, a cam provided With a manually operatable actuating orretracting lever for forcing said shank into tootl1-engaging position,and

spring interposed between said shank and said stationary member forforcing said shank out of tooth-engaging position When said cam isretracted,

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfi'X my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

HENRY O. JOHNSON. lvitnesses N. D. HAYES, J. R, KROGDAHL.

